CWA Campaign Project Ideas List: A Work in Progress
In this class, we will collaborate with the Conference on World Affairs (CWA) and CU’s Atlas Media Lab. You will compose, design, edit, produce, and distribute a comprehensive media campaign encouraging fellow students to attend this year’s CWA, which takes place April 5-9. Working in small groups, you will compose this campaign using a variety of multimedia applications, including audio, print (posters, yard signs), and/or video, among other possible forms. You will be trained on the hardware and software in (and sometimes outside of) class, and you will have feedback from professional multimedia consultants as well as CWA staff and volunteers as you work on these projects. While you are not expected to be professional graphic designers or digital artists, you are expected to thoughtfully engage the techniques used to create successful audio and visual argument.
Add your ideas, links, etc to this page. Feel free to modify, change, elaborate on any of the info on this list. Put your name next to the project you're most interested in working on. We will form our project teams using info on this page.
Here are some relevant links:
David J: I think that an interesting and focused method of getting the word out about the CWA might be to focus on community radio, such as Radio 1190, which is affiliated with the university, or KGNU, our local public station. What I would like to think about doing is recording some sort of public service announcement that could be played leading up to the conference, and since these stations are independent community-based stations, I do think it would be something to which they would be open. As a regular listener to both stations, I know it's something that I wouldn't personally mind interrupting their normal play, so hopefully other listeners would feel the same. Once the conference has finalized their schedule line-up, we could even think about advertising specific panels focusing on music, maybe accompanying the add with clips from featured musicians and/or critics. Again, this is just an idea, and it would require the cooperation of various independent bodies, but if done professionally I think it's something that would not only work, but hopefully demystify the whole thing by highlighting specific panels, which would then ideally translate to them attending other events other than the ones mentioned on air.
Video blogs: students interviewing and/or talking to other students about why they participate and attend. Could post on blog, website, youtube, our class wiki, ??
Ashley - I would be willing to help out with this, but how would we gather students to interview? Start with those at the CWA meetings?
Ben - Is it possible film a few of the panels and post them on youtube? If so, maybe students could respond to them via youtube with their own webcams. From Michelle: I like that idea. Also, if anyone is interested in video editing work, we could get videos from the CWA of past panels and splice together a short video we could post on youtube before this year's conference, which, then, students could respond to.
Anthony: I think utilizing video is a great idea its a great source of media beyond the usual chalking, signs and emails (while all are effective) to reach the broader student population. I'm not the best at splicing but would help how I could.
Other video: short DVD for professors to show to class (2-3) minutes to encourage students to attend; DVDs for other audiences? Short videos to post on CWA blog or website or YouTube or elsewhere? Also, we probably have access to the wall in the Atlas Building -- could make a video to post there. Could we post a video on the University's website during the week of the conference to spark last minute interest?{Razan}
Social media: Twitter, blog, Facebook
Use social media to drive traffic to main CWA website (where people can find the schedule, etc)?
If any of you use Twitter (or want to use Twitter), you can tweet about your CWA experiences, and include #CWA in your tweets.
Kassidy: I like the idea of a viral video posted on You Tube but spread through social networking sites such as facebook. This vidoe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8&feature=player_embedded# originally inspired this idea. This video is all about the exponential growth of information, because CWA is a whole lot of information I thought this would tie nicely into the conference. Check out the video!! I need people who are technologically savvy.
Class could create content for CWA blog. Or our own blog.
Students could tell their stories about getting involved, learning about the conference, etc -- so, good for students who want to focus on storytelling. Also good for students who want to focus more on writing (in the conventional sense) and less on design (although of course design matters here too!)
from Michelle: Bryan New (CWA Student Volunteer Coordinator) really supports the idea of having a few students add content to the CWA blog. He'd like to add a Student Perspective Section to the blog. Those of you who are volunteering could post a little bit about the conference-planning experience, and then any of you could post during Conference Week -- about the panels you attend and/or about your experiences volunteering
Print projects: Yard signs. Posters. Besides making yard signs and posters could we make a banner to hang inside the UMC? The UMC is one of the buildings on campus that a lot of students walk through everyday and a hanging banner would get more attention than just a poster on the wall. {Razan} Anthony: A banner in the UMC is a good idea. Put it next to the main staircase or on the outside. Sitting here at Planning Weekend with Bryan New, and he suggested table tents in the UMC -- Michelle (this would be another part of a print campaign)
Andrew J: Printing looks like fun. We need to create an "attention grabber".
Also, something to think about: use images of different participants -- highlighting different participants in different ways (we will have access to images )electronic files, etc) via our contacts at the CWA)
Renee: For the weeks before and of the conference, I think it would be effective to put up posters that have specific information about a single panel. It would include time, date, participants on the panel and some info on what it would cover. That way students would know about a specific panel to attend without having to get a book of all the panels and serch through it for something that interested them.
Chris: I think one of the biggest problems facing the CWA is simply that not enough people know enough about the conference to want to attend. I think a lot of this is derived from the fact that these messages and ad campaigns are too broad and generic to really convince someone who would've otherwise not attended, to attend. Perhaps we can cater to specific interests by either highlighting some of the more recognizable or distinguished panels, or perhaps even place different print adds within different buildings based on what type of classes are most common within them. For example, I am a Political Science student, and because of this I spend a lot of time in Ketchum. Not only is that where the department's offices are, but my advisor works in there and I always end up having at least one class in that building. Because I spend such a large amount of time here each semester this would likely be the best place to try to spark my interest with something relating to Politics or Current affairs. We can specialize our advertising like this all across the campus.
Meghan- Yeah I completely agree with Chris. We could do a couple of different subjects of panels on different posters and put them up in the different schools. If there are any business panels we could put those up in the Business school, or film ones in the theater building, and law ones in Wolf Law . I'm an international affairs major and I also spend a lot of time in Ketchum, and I know that any of world affairs or politics would catch my eye in there, so I think that's a really good idea!
Ben: I think we could set posters around the Hill. Also put posters at the Pearl Street Bars. We could also put poster next to bus stops.
Mike: Two of the most effective and recent poster/print campaigns I have seen lately are the the Obama "Hope" poster (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2231258092_43d8e672b5.jpg) and the Conan O'Brien "I'm With Coco" poster (http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/Fans-Launch-I-m-with-Coco-Campaign-for-Conan-O-Brien-2.jpg). Though obviously it would be foolish to attempt to do something like this for each of the dozens of panelists, perhaps it would be possible to brand the conference in some sort of easily and quickly recognizable way, or find a way to highlight some of the more famous faces that will be on campus. I know that I am not the only person who will give an advertisement featuring someone notable a longer look than those without.
from Michelle: LOVE IT. I think that is a great way to go -- that is, to choose selected panels and/or panelists that would most appeal to different groups of students (like, Poli Sci majors, for example -- and others, of course!), and create posters highlighting those panels, and post those posters in relevant locations on campus (like, for Poli Sci ones, Ketchum). That way, it makes the conference less overwhelming, and boils it down to a specific event (or 2 or 3), rather than throwing all 1000 or whatever panels at students at once.
ERIK- Im gunna have to agree that just focusing on the CWA as a whole isnt a good way of grabbing peoples attention. I also think even the panels maybe too broad, so we could focus on some of the individuals. Making print ads specific to certain panelists. I know if I saw a flyer that said a person I was really interested in seeing was speaking at CU I would definitely attend as supposed to just "a panel" speaking on an issue.
Ryan: I think agree with you all about the specialization of advertisement. There are far too many ideas and interests represented in the conference, and like Michelle said, it can become overwhelming. More students would benefit from the conference if they were shown that the panels actually do have pertinent content to their future careers, and current interests. Sidewalk chalk
Ashley - chalk is always eye-catching so I think this would be a good idea
Meghan- I agree, especially when it gets warmer and the weather gets nicer in April and people are wanting to spend time outside.
Campaign specific for dorms? Posters, something else?
Jeremy: I think the restroom advertisement idea will be extremely effective. The audience is almost forced to look at the advertisements as they are right in front of them. Here is another example of how we could use this. http://jcsbrandmedia.com/0_0_0_0_250_264_csupload_5687702.jpg
anthony g idea
Maybe we could make clever T shirts and give them out a couple of weeks in advance to increase awareness amongst students
This might sound like a funny idea but I was thinking about it at the end of class on Friday, what if we did a poster of some sort and we wrote in fairly large letters a phrase backwards to catch people's eyes and then below the backwards letters we write normally a catchy phrase of some sort for the CWA? It could be good advertisment because we talked about last class how to catch people's attention and be clever. I have used sidewalk chalk recently to get a couple messages across on campus for my prelaw fraternity and it worked well so I am always in favor of sidewalk chalk as well. I really like everyones ideas so far though!- Mac Warfield This is the kind of thinking you'll do as you compose and design your projects, Mac. If you choose to work on one of the print campaigns, bring ideas like this to the table.
Also, probably we'll farm out the sidewalk chalk option to other CWA volunteers -- or have it be an additional element on the print campaign, or something. -- Michelle
CWA Campaign Project Ideas List: A Work in Progress
In this class, we will collaborate with the Conference on World Affairs (CWA) and CU’s Atlas Media Lab. You will compose, design, edit, produce, and distribute a comprehensive media campaign encouraging fellow students to attend this year’s CWA, which takes place April 5-9. Working in small groups, you will compose this campaign using a variety of multimedia applications, including audio, print (posters, yard signs), and/or video, among other possible forms. You will be trained on the hardware and software in (and sometimes outside of) class, and you will have feedback from professional multimedia consultants as well as CWA staff and volunteers as you work on these projects. While you are not expected to be professional graphic designers or digital artists, you are expected to thoughtfully engage the techniques used to create successful audio and visual argument.
Add your ideas, links, etc to this page. Feel free to modify, change, elaborate on any of the info on this list. Put your name next to the project you're most interested in working on. We will form our project teams using info on this page.
Here are some relevant links:
Link to CU's Campus Photography Database
Audio Campaign?
David J: I think that an interesting and focused method of getting the word out about the CWA might be to focus on community radio, such as Radio 1190, which is affiliated with the university, or KGNU, our local public station. What I would like to think about doing is recording some sort of public service announcement that could be played leading up to the conference, and since these stations are independent community-based stations, I do think it would be something to which they would be open. As a regular listener to both stations, I know it's something that I wouldn't personally mind interrupting their normal play, so hopefully other listeners would feel the same. Once the conference has finalized their schedule line-up, we could even think about advertising specific panels focusing on music, maybe accompanying the add with clips from featured musicians and/or critics. Again, this is just an idea, and it would require the cooperation of various independent bodies, but if done professionally I think it's something that would not only work, but hopefully demystify the whole thing by highlighting specific panels, which would then ideally translate to them attending other events other than the ones mentioned on air.
Video blogs: students interviewing and/or talking to other students about why they participate and attend. Could post on blog, website, youtube, our class wiki, ??
Ashley - I would be willing to help out with this, but how would we gather students to interview? Start with those at the CWA meetings?
Ben - Is it possible film a few of the panels and post them on youtube? If so, maybe students could respond to them via youtube with their own webcams. From Michelle: I like that idea. Also, if anyone is interested in video editing work, we could get videos from the CWA of past panels and splice together a short video we could post on youtube before this year's conference, which, then, students could respond to.
Anthony: I think utilizing video is a great idea its a great source of media beyond the usual chalking, signs and emails (while all are effective) to reach the broader student population. I'm not the best at splicing but would help how I could.
Other video: short DVD for professors to show to class (2-3) minutes to encourage students to attend; DVDs for other audiences? Short videos to post on CWA blog or website or YouTube or elsewhere? Also, we probably have access to the wall in the Atlas Building -- could make a video to post there.
Could we post a video on the University's website during the week of the conference to spark last minute interest?{Razan}
Social media: Twitter, blog, Facebook
Use social media to drive traffic to main CWA website (where people can find the schedule, etc)?
If any of you use Twitter (or want to use Twitter), you can tweet about your CWA experiences, and include #CWA in your tweets.
Kassidy: I like the idea of a viral video posted on You Tube but spread through social networking sites such as facebook. This vidoe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8&feature=player_embedded# originally inspired this idea. This video is all about the exponential growth of information, because CWA is a whole lot of information I thought this would tie nicely into the conference. Check out the video!! I need people who are technologically savvy.
Class could create content for CWA blog. Or our own blog.
Students could tell their stories about getting involved, learning about the conference, etc -- so, good for students who want to focus on storytelling. Also good for students who want to focus more on writing (in the conventional sense) and less on design (although of course design matters here too!)
from Michelle: Bryan New (CWA Student Volunteer Coordinator) really supports the idea of having a few students add content to the CWA blog. He'd like to add a Student Perspective Section to the blog. Those of you who are volunteering could post a little bit about the conference-planning experience, and then any of you could post during Conference Week -- about the panels you attend and/or about your experiences volunteering
Print projects: Yard signs. Posters.
Besides making yard signs and posters could we make a banner to hang inside the UMC? The UMC is one of the buildings on campus that a lot of students walk through everyday and a hanging banner would get more attention than just a poster on the wall. {Razan}
Anthony: A banner in the UMC is a good idea. Put it next to the main staircase or on the outside.
Sitting here at Planning Weekend with Bryan New, and he suggested table tents in the UMC -- Michelle (this would be another part of a print campaign)
Andrew J: Printing looks like fun. We need to create an "attention grabber".
Also, something to think about: use images of different participants -- highlighting different participants in different ways (we will have access to images )electronic files, etc) via our contacts at the CWA)
Renee: For the weeks before and of the conference, I think it would be effective to put up posters that have specific information about a single panel. It would include time, date, participants on the panel and some info on what it would cover. That way students would know about a specific panel to attend without having to get a book of all the panels and serch through it for something that interested them.
Chris: I think one of the biggest problems facing the CWA is simply that not enough people know enough about the conference to want to attend. I think a lot of this is derived from the fact that these messages and ad campaigns are too broad and generic to really convince someone who would've otherwise not attended, to attend. Perhaps we can cater to specific interests by either highlighting some of the more recognizable or distinguished panels, or perhaps even place different print adds within different buildings based on what type of classes are most common within them. For example, I am a Political Science student, and because of this I spend a lot of time in Ketchum. Not only is that where the department's offices are, but my advisor works in there and I always end up having at least one class in that building. Because I spend such a large amount of time here each semester this would likely be the best place to try to spark my interest with something relating to Politics or Current affairs. We can specialize our advertising like this all across the campus.
Meghan- Yeah I completely agree with Chris. We could do a couple of different subjects of panels on different posters and put them up in the different schools. If there are any business panels we could put those up in the Business school, or film ones in the theater building, and law ones in Wolf Law . I'm an international affairs major and I also spend a lot of time in Ketchum, and I know that any of world affairs or politics would catch my eye in there, so I think that's a really good idea!
Ben: I think we could set posters around the Hill. Also put posters at the Pearl Street Bars. We could also put poster next to bus stops.
Mike: Two of the most effective and recent poster/print campaigns I have seen lately are the the Obama "Hope" poster (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2231258092_43d8e672b5.jpg) and the Conan O'Brien "I'm With Coco" poster (http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/Fans-Launch-I-m-with-Coco-Campaign-for-Conan-O-Brien-2.jpg). Though obviously it would be foolish to attempt to do something like this for each of the dozens of panelists, perhaps it would be possible to brand the conference in some sort of easily and quickly recognizable way, or find a way to highlight some of the more famous faces that will be on campus. I know that I am not the only person who will give an advertisement featuring someone notable a longer look than those without.
from Michelle: LOVE IT. I think that is a great way to go -- that is, to choose selected panels and/or panelists that would most appeal to different groups of students (like, Poli Sci majors, for example -- and others, of course!), and create posters highlighting those panels, and post those posters in relevant locations on campus (like, for Poli Sci ones, Ketchum). That way, it makes the conference less overwhelming, and boils it down to a specific event (or 2 or 3), rather than throwing all 1000 or whatever panels at students at once.
ERIK- Im gunna have to agree that just focusing on the CWA as a whole isnt a good way of grabbing peoples attention. I also think even the panels maybe too broad, so we could focus on some of the individuals. Making print ads specific to certain panelists. I know if I saw a flyer that said a person I was really interested in seeing was speaking at CU I would definitely attend as supposed to just "a panel" speaking on an issue.
Ryan: I think agree with you all about the specialization of advertisement. There are far too many ideas and interests represented in the conference, and like Michelle said, it can become overwhelming. More students would benefit from the conference if they were shown that the panels actually do have pertinent content to their future careers, and current interests.
Sidewalk chalk
Ashley - chalk is always eye-catching so I think this would be a good idea
Meghan- I agree, especially when it gets warmer and the weather gets nicer in April and people are wanting to spend time outside.
Campaign specific for dorms? Posters, something else?
Guerilla campaign?
Mike: This is what I had in mind with the idea of restroom advertisements. There is an obvious captive audience who has nothing better to do than read what is posted. This is becoming common at bars, music venues, and sporting venues. http://www.funnypromos.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/bathroom-advertising-mini-c.jpg
Graduated campaign? Using multiple media
Jeremy: I think the restroom advertisement idea will be extremely effective. The audience is almost forced to look at the advertisements as they are right in front of them. Here is another example of how we could use this. http://jcsbrandmedia.com/0_0_0_0_250_264_csupload_5687702.jpg
anthony g idea
Maybe we could make clever T shirts and give them out a couple of weeks in advance to increase awareness amongst students
This might sound like a funny idea but I was thinking about it at the end of class on Friday, what if we did a poster of some sort and we wrote in fairly large letters a phrase backwards to catch people's eyes and then below the backwards letters we write normally a catchy phrase of some sort for the CWA? It could be good advertisment because we talked about last class how to catch people's attention and be clever. I have used sidewalk chalk recently to get a couple messages across on campus for my prelaw fraternity and it worked well so I am always in favor of sidewalk chalk as well. I really like everyones ideas so far though!- Mac Warfield
This is the kind of thinking you'll do as you compose and design your projects, Mac. If you choose to work on one of the print campaigns, bring ideas like this to the table.
Also, probably we'll farm out the sidewalk chalk option to other CWA volunteers -- or have it be an additional element on the print campaign, or something. -- Michelle
When I think of a well done campaign I think of Invisible Children and their "Every War Has an End" slogan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3rrCqrJVbU I think they do a good job of mixing media and print http://api.ning.com/files/id6Iop1dOf*ga5gZdxCHyaLzMI7ZST0QHOaVwCGgQWGTiRDx6mS091-CKZwadxDo-T5j-jtaBZyd0ZvoSc3DFKrRdEQM5Y0K/InvisibleChildren.jpg. I think what works for them is the use of shock in their documentaries coupled with the feeling of personal empowerment that they provide with their different ways to help.
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/media/videos/detail.php?id=1977993840-Nichole Stults http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php
Thanks for posting these links, Nichole. Definitely some ideas to consider if you compose a video for this project, -- Michelle